In a press release, the online sales giant Amazon announced the launch of a program for senior living residences and hospitals. A part of Alexa Smart Properties, the solutions are designed specifically to be deployed at scale and to customize experiences for facility staff and residents.
Hospitals and nursing homes will be able to use Amazon Echo Show 8 to allow the elderly to easily communicate with their family and loved ones. The solution offered by Amazon is easier to use and intuitive than a mobile phone. Thus, the elderly can use it alone and in complete privacy, without the help of a nurse or caregiver.
Using Alexa, healthcare professionals can send announcements to residents without having to move from room to room, also patients can stay entertained with news and music. In addition, they can communicate directly with patients when needed. The solution also allows caregivers to perform a basic examination remotely before going on site.
Amazon has struggled with privacy issues in the past regarding its use of voice recordings and transcriptions. The healthcare and senior living center solutions, however, will not save voice recordings. Instead, they won’t require users to share personal info with Alexa to use the device, the company explains. Users can also mute the Echo’s microphone at any time with the button on top. In addition, Amazon says it safeguards health information received through Alexa skills that are HIPAA-compliant.
In 2018, Amazon had already launched Alexa for Business, a service dedicated to businesses. It is not the first time that the American firm has put its voice assistant at the service of professionals.
Alexa will allow” hospitals to increase their productivity and save on medical supplies,” said Liron Torres, global manager of Alexa Smart Properties.
What are your thoughts on Amazon Alexa being in hospitals and senior living residences?